Learn a Bible Study Skill: Scripture

Today we have one of those chapter divisions where I teach you a bible study skill. Last time we looked at the second letter of in SOAP. Let’s back tract a bit and look at, S, scripture. But a listen to story first:

When I was probably 7 or 8 years old, an army of safari ants, those little black creatures that bite and cling viciously invaded our compound. I found a disused can of doom (pesticide) from a corner in our old house. I examined it this way and that way and just as figured out how to pump the pesticide out, an uncle appeared. He grabbed the can out of my hands. He twisted it every which way trying to open it, not listening to me and not reading the manufacturers instructions on the can. Meanwhile the vicious creatures were headed for his newly hatched chicks. Finally, he got a knife and ruptured the tin so he could ‘pour’ the doom on the insects. It blew into his face giving him a terrible headache for days and please don’t ask about the poor chicks!

The Bible has been called the manufacturer’s manual for the humanity. We, typical human beings need to hear this wisdom again and again—when all else fails, read and follow the instructions! 2Tim 3:16 says that all scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. Note all those italicized functions. Also note what it does not say.

Now, we Christians are obviously trying to read the manual. But in many cases we come to a scripture text either with a preconceived notion of what it says, or with the question—what does this passage say to me? This allows us to find almost any idea in that text. Sometimes we snatch an affirming or comfortable snippet of truth to suit the moment; sometimes nothing registers. If we come across hard truth, we may think of how it applies to someone else, not ourselves. Someone has said we should actually ask, “what does this text say against me?”

A pastor told of a member came to her to discuss her marriage situation. She was a ‘dedicated’ Christian, but she divorced her first husband so she could marry another man. The pastor asked her, “If you knew divorce is sin, how did you justify leaving your husband for another man?” The woman replied “Pastor, I do not need to tell you what the Bible says, that God is love, and he does not want me to be unhappy. Neither do I need to remind you about the grace of God, do I?” She continued “I intended to ask for forgiveness and come back to the Lord even before I began the affair. I haven’t committed the unpardonable sin, you know”.

This kind of selfish interpretation is repeated in many small and big decisions among today's Christians—simply because we choose which parts of the Bible suits us. This is called ‘proof-texting’. A proof text is basically a favorite verse on which we impose a meaning that might meet our felt need, maintain our comfort zone or confirm our firmly held opinion. It can also be a verse that has become popular over time, overshadowing other scriptures that are its opposite but equally true and equally applicable in the same situation. For example, we say that “God is love”, but how often do we say, “God is a consuming fire?” Both verses are in the Bible, hmm? We usually rubberstamp proof-texts by ‘praying’ them but really, we are shunning the hard road of obedience.

Here is my point, when you come to scripture read it attentively and responsively. Submit to its authority as the word of God, listening first. After listening, the right response is to obey what it says. If you are convicted then act on the instruction and repent if it's a rebuke. Repentance is not merely remorse, you know, rabbit tears that a child sheds when caught stealing sugar. To repent is to turn away from what you have been doing that is wrong and start doing the right thing according to scripture.

Look at two verses that we usually proof text from passages we have covered in Philippians.

Philippians 1: 6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion…” What good work is Paul referring to? Is everything we are doing, even if it is good, began by the Lord? Will the Lord always carry our ‘good plans’ to completion?

Philippians 2:13 “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” . Why does Paul say it is God who works in them (take a look at the first part of vs 12)? Is everything we do even with the best intentions, God’s will and God’s purpose?

Think of other passages in the rest of scripture that we usually proof text and share them with other readers on this blog.

Please post your comments.